City of Cries
by ajholmed
Summary: The gang is back from Alicante, but just when they thought things were perfect, the terror has only begun. Unknown Circle members are rebelling, turning Alicante into a living hell on earth. And guess who's caught in the middle. Jace and Clary.


**Part One: The Greatest Distance**

"_In true love, the smallest distance is too great, and the greatest distance can be bridged."_

_-Hans Nouwens_

**Prolouge: Departure isn't so Sweet.**

_I've never been so bored, and miserable in my entire life._

Clary sat in her room, staring idly out the window. It was raining, again. Just like it had been for the past two weeks. Two, extremely long weeks, in Clary's book. She watched the water trickle down the window pane in little squiggly lines and traced them with her finger. She squinted her eyes a bit. _If you look really closely, _she thought,_ it spells out _Jace_._

She sighed. Jace. Pretty much the whole reason why the past two weeks have been so terrible. It was the fact that he wasn't there, sitting with her. She ran her hand through her hair, her nervous jitters almost getting the best of her. She stood up and started pacing in front of her bed.

"He's fine. He's fine, just don't worry about him. He's. Fine." Clary told herself for the millionth time. But no matter how many times she said those words, they didn't reassure her one bit. After a few more minutes of pacing, she went and sat on her bed.

Two dreadful weeks ago, everything had been fine and controlled. Everyone had been at the institute, hanging out in the kitchen. Clary was making cookies, seeing how Isabella burnt the cookies that they had previously intended on eating. And after getting back from Alicante, thing haven't had been going better for Clary. Most of her days had been spent like this, hanging around Jace and friends. Even including Simon, for which Clary was thankful.

"Clary, you have to give me your recipe. Or, tell me what I'm doing wrong!" Isabella begged. She sat on the countertop beside the oven, over which Clary was working.

Clary let out a short laugh before handing over Isabelle the spoon which was smothered in batter. Her eyes gleamed as she attacked it. "Maybe," Clary started, "the problem would be that you're making the cookies too thin. I mean, you _do_ eat half of the batter before you put them on the pan and in the oven."

Isabella gave Clary a light shove, but wore a smile as she slithered her tongue all over the wooden spoon. Simon made a gurgling noise in the back of his throat. Isabelle stopped and looked over to him. "You have a problem, Daylighter?"

Simon looked slightly dazed, then snapped his attention back and looked wide eyed at Izzy. "No. No, I'm fine…"

Jace, who had been silent, burst out laughing. "I didn't know vampires could still get—,"

"And, we have a whole bowl to clean. Jace, help me?" Clary cut him off, sparing Simon some embarrassment. But Isabelle was already eyeing Simon up and down. Clary rolled her eyes and went over and sat beside Jace. They twined their fingers together as they both enjoyed the left over batter. Isabelle exhaled leisurely.

"Hey Simon?"

He looked up to her again. "Yeah?"

Isabelle licked the spoon again. But this time, she made soft moaning noises and closed her eyes. Clary watched as Simon's lips became thinner, until they were a tight line. Isabelle slid slowly off the counter, and waltzed over to Simon, until she was practically on top of him.

"Care for a lick?"

"Uh…" Simon never got to finish, because Alec suddenly burst into the room. He looked flustered, and as if he bore news. He opened his mouth to speak, but took in Izzy's position over Simon, and stopped.

"What are you… never mind. What _does_ matter is this," Alec thrust a piece of paper towards Jace, and Isabelle came around and looked over Jace and Clary's shoulders to read what the paper said.

'_I know this is last minute, but it's important. I need help, and I need it now. I'm not sure, but all of Alicante might be in danger. I would go to the Clave, but I'm scared. We thought things were better, but they're not. If anything, things have just gotten worse.'_

Clary stopped reading for a second, only to cover her mouth with her hand. What had happened in Alicante? She continued reading.

'_I fear that Valentine had more loyal Circle members than we had thought. And now, I believe that they are trying to avenge his death. Only I and a few others are suspicious, and we don't want things to get out of hand. I need your help, Jace Herondale and Clarrisa Morgenstern. I do believe all of Alicante rest in yours hands, once more.'_

"Wow," Isabelle breathed beside Clary. Clary kept reading the last short paragraph.

'_Please come as soon as possible. You can rest at my house, and we'll talk there._

_Please help,_

_Amatis.'_

Clary stood as soon as she was done reading. "We have to help! I'll draw a portal…"

Jace stood as well and grabbed her wrist. "Clary, no. It's too dangerous. We don't even know if this is from the _real _Amatis."

"So WHAT?" Clary countered, pealing her wrist from Jace's grasp. Since coming back, they haven't gotten into a fight. Not even a small quarrel. This is the first time they're voices had been raised at each other, and it felt weird and awkward.

But Jace was stronger than her, and he pulled Clary into his chest. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I just can't. I won't let you be put into danger. I'm so sorry," he hummed into her hair. She had stopped struggling and was standing limply in his grasp. Deep down, she knew he was right. There was no proof that this wasn't a trap. And why ask for her and Jace strictly, and not the rest of the Lightwoods? It didn't make any sense.

The rest of the room had been sitting quietly while Jace and Clary had been speaking, but now Alec cleared his throat. "Well, we obviously just can't ignore this—,"

"Alec!" Jace turned to look at him.

"Let me finish," Alec raised his hands as if to say, 'hear me out.' "But we can't be totally trustworthy of this note either. Something to be suspicious about: Magnus can't track the sender of the note. It's as if the person who wrote this was a ghost."

"Well, that might be because Amatis, assuming it is her who sent it, was frightened of the Clave finding the note and taking her captive," Isabelle pointed out.

Simon snorted. "She signed _her_ name, though. I don't think the Clave are THAT stupid."

"Could she not reject sending the note? I mean, say she was framed or something?" Clary wondered out loud. Jace shook his head.

"No. I was almost stripped of my Marks because the Inquisitor didn't believe me, remember?"

"Yeah, but she was totally off her rocker," Simon mumbled to himself.

"Anyways," Alec spoke up, getting back on topic, "we need to organize a trip there. And there is no way we're just sending you two," he looked over to Jace and Clary.

Jace pulled away slightly from Clary. "I'm not so sure."

"Yeah, if it's a trap, then you guys would be punished. It would be best for Jace and me to go alone," Clary agreed.

Isabelle shook her head. "Okay, enough from the Angel couple. We're not letting you guys go alone. You can count on that."

"Why am I not surprised," Jace muttered.

Simon made a soft noise, making everyone turn and look at him.

"What am I doing to make you hard _now_?" Isabelle groaned.

Simon let out an emotionless laugh. "It's not that. I'm just saying that… maybe Clary shouldn't go. Not yet, at least."

Clary's mouth dropped as she gaped at her best friend. "Excuse me?"

"You barely have any training. And I know you have your own Stele now, but still. It would probably be best if you stayed here. In case it _is _a trap?" After a few moments of silence, Simon started with plan B. "Jace, come on. You have to back me up on this."

Clary looked up at Jace, her eyes pleading. "Jace, let me go. I'll be alright, you know that."

Jace sighed, a long and terrible noise. "I'm sorry, but he's right. If there is something wrong, I don't want you caught in the middle of it. Clary, I'm—,"

But Clary had already backed away from him and started running out the door. She was ready, wasn't she? She had survived all this time with no training. Now, at least she knew remotely what she was doing, and she could even be a huge help.

She ran out of the Institute into the pouring rain. Funny, it hadn't been raining before. She took out her Stele and drew a quick Portal. She thought of her room back at Luke's and stepped inside. She never got over the chilling sensation of going through the void, but at least it didn't come as a surprise.

And that was two weeks ago. Two, dreadful weeks. Jocelyn had taken her Stele so she couldn't Portal to Alicante. So, not only was she stuck at Luke's, but she had to actually take a _cab_.

Simon had tried to make amends, but Clary would refuse to see him. It was his idea, after all. The whole, making her stay in New York, thing. She didn't want to talk to anyone, besides one person. That was, one person who she hadn't heard from in ages. The one person who hadn't even said good-bye before leaving. Clary didn't think about it. She didn't like the feeling of her heart breaking into a million pieces.

There a small knock on the door, then a sliver of light crept into the room as Jocelyn opened the door.

"Clary? I made dinner, if you want any?" she sounded hopeful. Clary had refused to eat with her. Luke had gone, too, to Alicante. It was _his_ sister they were checking on. But it almost made his house unlivable.

"No, I don't think I do," Clary answered coldly. Jocelyn sighed and came and sat down on the bed next to Clary.

"Haven't heard anything yet?"

Clary let out a short laugh. "What was your first clue?"

"I'm sure they're fine, honey. Don't even worry—,"

"HOW CAN I NOT?" Clary burst jumping up off the bed and storming out of the room. Clary wanted to deny it, but she couldn't. Not anymore. She could feel it, that something was wrong. She could feel it in her heart, and in her bones. Something, was surely not right in Alicante.

* * *

**A/N: **_So, what are you thinking? Yay or nay? There are a few people out there that I know will like this, and I'm planning on writing more soon once school starts and things have calmed down and I have a mac again. So, the **general idea** of this authors note is **do you like, or do you hate.** Tell me in reviews._


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